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Bill Ulfelder

New York Executive Director

New York, NY

Headshot of Bill Ulfelder.

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AREA OF EXPERTISE

New York

MEDIA CONTACT

May Yeung
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Biography

With Bill's leadership as Executive Director, The Nature Conservancy in New York has achieved remarkable success in delivering conservation impacts on climate, lands, ocean, freshwater and people; raising unprecedented private and public resources; investing in cutting-edge science; and increasing awareness of key conservation issues. His vision is creating a world where all of nature, including humanity, can thrive. As a global hub for culture, innovation and finance, New York is positioned to lead efforts in climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and harnessing the power of nature. The team is setting national and global examples by advancing nature-based climate solutions, promoting renewable energy development, and leading cutting-edge legislation.

Bill’s Conservancy career spans over three decades and multiple regions, including South America, the American West, the Caribbean, Mongolia, and New York. Throughout his tenure, Bill has forged strategic partnerships to build a strong foundation of support. Highlights of Bill’s leadership in New York include: launching The Nature Conservancy’s first urban conservation program; elevating social science in conservation; partnering with environmental justice organizations and tribal nations; securing major policy wins; and launching a state-wide reforestation and voluntary home buy program in flood-prone regions. Bill led the creation of a “One New York” approach, unifying programs behind a shared strategic vision, and aligning structure and resources accordingly. Under his leadership, New York became a fundraising powerhouse, culminating in the $384 million One World: New York campaign. During Bill’s tenure, the New York Board of Trustees has strengthened and diversified, and The Nature Conservancy in New York is now known for its policy success, innovation, agility, and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.

New York has also supported global priorities such as Blue Bonds in the Seychelles, Belize, and Barbados; grasslands conservation in Mongolia; conservation efforts in Belize, Chile, and Colombia; and the launch of The Nature Conservancy’s impact investing arm, NatureVest.

Bill is a frequent contributor to media outlets, such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Good Morning America, CNN, CNN Español, and NPR. He was profiled in “Big Impact: Insights & Stories from America's Non-Profit Leaders” (2017).

Bill earned a B.S. in Political Science from UNC Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar and varsity athlete. His undergraduate honors thesis on Amazon deforestation (with fieldwork in Peru) was followed by a Fulbright in Panama. He later earned dual master’s degrees in Forest Resource Management and Natural Resource Economics & Policy, plus a Latin America Studies certificate, from Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, which named him a distinguished alumnus in 2012.

Bill lives in New York City with his wife Natalie and their dog Spot. Their daughter Bella attends art school in London. He loves exploring the city, New York State, and the world.

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